Desire
by CEA
Summary: It takes a lot to get what you want, even if you already know what you want. Albus and Minerva have always hidden it. The Mirror won't allow that.


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Desire

By CEA

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    Socks.

    Sock, I said, lying directly to the boy, and I could tell that he didn't believe me. He stared at me quizzically, before leaving the way he had come, and I was left to stand there contemplating his question and my own doubts.

    Indeed, I could never tell him what - or who rather - it was that I really saw. I had never told anyone, though some had guessed it. None of them had ever understood, though, that I could never make a move. She was so confined to the rules, so unlike how she had been when she was my student. Hard years had worn down that mischievous spirit, though. She was still my best friend; she always has been, and I cannot imagine my life without her. She understands everything so well.

    But this, this she never will understand. I love her more than anything or anyone, but I can never tell her for fear of her reaction.

    So I turn around, and leave, her beautiful face watching me with adoration in her eyes.

***

    It was late the next night, when the woman in question stumbled upon the same looking glass, accidentally, though all other purposes were immediately forgotten when she saw the glint of the moonlight off of the clear surface. Walking forward slowly, she hung back, frightened of what she might see, for indeed she had heard of this mirror before, many times, from a certain elder Professor.

    But she gave up all pretenses and finally looked into the mirror's depths, and felt tears threaten. Her bright green eyes were quickly growing misty in the face of a woman who did not cry.

    She placed one weathered hand upon the surface, unaware of its shaking, and gazed into blue eyes she had grown so accustomed to seeing, but were so oddly staring at her with admiration. She depended upon those eyes.

    But it was impossible. He would never allow himself to love a girl so much younger than him, even if she was no longer young. 

    And then she fled to the quiet and safety of her own room, and cried her heart out upon her pillow.

***

    It was the night of the battle, and the boy was gently lifted and carried away to the Hospital Wing, the job overseen by both of them, and when he was safely laid down upon the bed in the Hospital Wing, and she had kissed him upon the forehead, a motherly gesture not out of character for her but rarely seen, he then took her hand and they went down to the dungeons to forever dispose of the mirror.

    As they both stood before it, each seeing the other, a powerful curiosity overcame both, but both were afraid of voicing this interest, and so neither said anything. That is, they wouldn't have, if the mirror hadn't taken matter into its own hands. The surface abruptly shimmered and the images both saw disappeared, so that it showed only them, standing side by side, exactly how they were. They stared at it in surprise, and turned to look at each other. But both froze when they saw each other's eyes, his with admiration and hers with adoration, staring gently at each other, and both knew then that the mirror had finally showed nothing but the truth. 

    Staring at her, the man knew no other could be so beautiful, and watching him, she knew she would never give her heart to another, and so they shared their first sweet kiss in front of the looking glass that brought them together. The Deputy and the Headmaster finally stood there as they were meant to be, and as they would be for many years until they both passed away, proving that love knows no rules, and no age, and that when you know what you desire, you can always make your dreams come true.

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**A/N**: Yes, I wrote this sappy little one-shot, and I rather enjoyed it, too. As it is, I've read every single AD/MM fanfic I could find (who oh why don't they count Minerva as a character?) and I was getting rather bored searching for mroe so I wrote one myself.

If you enjoyed this, do me a big favor and read/review Like Mother Like Daughter (and Memories as well, if you have the time).

Love,

~*CEA


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